Guidebook for Washington
Food Scene
This is our favorite spot for brunch. Weekend brunches start at 9 a.m., so it’s great for early risers. My favorite thing to order from their brunch menu is the Geitenkaas Wafels, which is a savory goat cheese waffle.
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Belga Café
514 8th St SEThis is our favorite spot for brunch. Weekend brunches start at 9 a.m., so it’s great for early risers. My favorite thing to order from their brunch menu is the Geitenkaas Wafels, which is a savory goat cheese waffle.
This is our favorite spot for happy hour. On weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., they offer $5 cocktails and $5 small plates in the bar area. Our favorite small plates are the Bread Basket, Urnebes Dip, and Drunken Mussels. Their food is awesome! We like to try to arrive before the after-work rush, if we can.
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Ambar Capitol Hill
523 8th St SEThis is our favorite spot for happy hour. On weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., they offer $5 cocktails and $5 small plates in the bar area. Our favorite small plates are the Bread Basket, Urnebes Dip, and Drunken Mussels. Their food is awesome! We like to try to arrive before the after-work rush, if we can.
This is a new place (opened December 2017), but the chef is well-known as one of the best in the area. It’s located at the Old Naval Hospital, near the Eastern Market metro station. A counter-service coffeeshop by day, it morphs into a table-service wine bar in the evening. They have a large patio open in the summertime. In the morning, we highly recommend the breakfast wrap!
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Little Pearl
921 Pennsylvania Ave. SEThis is a new place (opened December 2017), but the chef is well-known as one of the best in the area. It’s located at the Old Naval Hospital, near the Eastern Market metro station. A counter-service coffeeshop by day, it morphs into a table-service wine bar in the evening. They have a large patio open in the summertime. In the morning, we highly recommend the breakfast wrap!
This cute bakery is a stone’s throw from our townhouse—only about 500 feet away. It’s a great spot to grab a morning coffee and pastry to go.
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Spring Mill Bread Co
701 8th St SEThis cute bakery is a stone’s throw from our townhouse—only about 500 feet away. It’s a great spot to grab a morning coffee and pastry to go.
This counter-service spot is a DC institution and despite the name, it’s actually a great spot for breakfast too. I need to caveat this suggestion with a comment about the line, which can get very long, especially on the weekends. Also, they are cash only. But if you are walking through Eastern Market and notice that the line is short, it’s definitely worth a try! They are famous for their “Blue Buck” (blueberry buckwheat) pancakes. The fried green tomatoes and crabcakes are delicious too. Definitely a spot to “eat like a local.”
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The Market Lunch
225 7th St SEThis counter-service spot is a DC institution and despite the name, it’s actually a great spot for breakfast too. I need to caveat this suggestion with a comment about the line, which can get very long, especially on the weekends. Also, they are cash only. But if you are walking through Eastern Market and notice that the line is short, it’s definitely worth a try! They are famous for their “Blue Buck” (blueberry buckwheat) pancakes. The fried green tomatoes and crabcakes are delicious too. Definitely a spot to “eat like a local.”
Ted’s Bulletin is always a crowd favorite, serving breakfast all day and open at 7 a.m. It’s very family friendly and has a 1950’s theme, complete with milkshakes and house-made poptarts. On weekends, expect a wait at popular brunch times.
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Ted's Bulletin
505 8th St SETed’s Bulletin is always a crowd favorite, serving breakfast all day and open at 7 a.m. It’s very family friendly and has a 1950’s theme, complete with milkshakes and house-made poptarts. On weekends, expect a wait at popular brunch times.
Owned by the same people as Ted’s Bulletin, this is another casual and family-friendly spot. The building is a former vending machine warehouse from the 1920’s. They have a great wood-fired pizza menu. Sometimes they even offer our kids a ball of pizza dough to play with!
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matchbox
521 8th St SEOwned by the same people as Ted’s Bulletin, this is another casual and family-friendly spot. The building is a former vending machine warehouse from the 1920’s. They have a great wood-fired pizza menu. Sometimes they even offer our kids a ball of pizza dough to play with!
They have delicious fair-trade Rwandan coffee, and they also make great sandwiches. For breakfast, try the avocado toast for $4.95. In the summertime they open up their patio in the back of the restaurant.
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Bourbon Coffee
621 Pennsylvania Ave. SEThey have delicious fair-trade Rwandan coffee, and they also make great sandwiches. For breakfast, try the avocado toast for $4.95. In the summertime they open up their patio in the back of the restaurant.
This is our favorite spot to get made-to-order burritos. Don’t forget to get the delicious salsa verde from their salsa bar. Seating in the restaurant is very limited, so this is best for takeaway.
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Burrito Brothers of Capitol Hill
205 Pennsylvania Ave. SEThis is our favorite spot to get made-to-order burritos. Don’t forget to get the delicious salsa verde from their salsa bar. Seating in the restaurant is very limited, so this is best for takeaway.
We love the chicken pad thai (mild), drunken noodles (very spicy), and all of their curries (also spicy). They also offer free delivery and they are very fast--usually making it to our townhouse in less than 30 minutes.
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Sanphan Thai Cuisine
653 Pennsylvania Ave. SEWe love the chicken pad thai (mild), drunken noodles (very spicy), and all of their curries (also spicy). They also offer free delivery and they are very fast--usually making it to our townhouse in less than 30 minutes.
You’ve got to try their pupusas—they are so delicious, and a bargain a $2.29 each including all the fixings. (If you’ve never tried a pupusa before, it’s a handmade corn tortilla stuffed with cheese or meat.) Everything is good, and very affordable. Call ahead to avoid lines.
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Tortilla Café
210 7th Street SoutheastYou’ve got to try their pupusas—they are so delicious, and a bargain a $2.29 each including all the fixings. (If you’ve never tried a pupusa before, it’s a handmade corn tortilla stuffed with cheese or meat.) Everything is good, and very affordable. Call ahead to avoid lines.
This tiny, boutique bakeshop was the first-place winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars! Stop by to pick up a sweet treat after a day of sightseeing—it’s right near the Eastern Market metro station.
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The Sweet Lobby
705 8th St SEThis tiny, boutique bakeshop was the first-place winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars! Stop by to pick up a sweet treat after a day of sightseeing—it’s right near the Eastern Market metro station.
We think that Bullfrog makes the best bagels in the city. They sell sandwiches, too.
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Bullfrog Bagels
317 7th St SEWe think that Bullfrog makes the best bagels in the city. They sell sandwiches, too.
This is a great spot to eat in the nearby Navy Yard neighborhood (close to Nationals Park). They have a farm-to-table, seasonal menu and a great selection of craft beers that they brew in house. You may want to make a reservation.
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Bluejacket
300 Tingey St SEThis is a great spot to eat in the nearby Navy Yard neighborhood (close to Nationals Park). They have a farm-to-table, seasonal menu and a great selection of craft beers that they brew in house. You may want to make a reservation.
Our favorite pizzas are Spinach & Artichoke, “Forest Shroomin’” (mushroom), and Butcher’s Block. Stop by to grab a slice ($4) or order a whole pie for $18-$20. They deliver!
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We, The Pizza
2100 Crystal DrOur favorite pizzas are Spinach & Artichoke, “Forest Shroomin’” (mushroom), and Butcher’s Block. Stop by to grab a slice ($4) or order a whole pie for $18-$20. They deliver!
Essentials
Trader Joe's
750 Pennsylvania Ave. SEYes! Organic Market Capitol Hill
410 8th St SEHarris Teeter
900 Army Navy DrCVS
645 H St NEChat's Liquors on Capitol Hill
503 8th St SEUnited States Postal Service
2833 Alabama Ave SE